Prices Up! Farmers and Vendors Struggle

The prices of essential commodities, particularly root crops, have reached unprecedented heights at local markets in Viti Levu, leaving both vendors and consumers grappling with the financial burden.

When Fiji Sun visited these markets, vendors (middlemen), attributed the soaring prices to their necessity to bolster profits. Farmers, on the other hand, cite various factors, primarily escalating transportation costs, as contributing to the surging prices of produce.

At the Suva Market, bundles of dalo, typically priced between $20 to $25, were being sold for a staggering $40 to $50.

The cost of a heap of cassava consistently stood at $10, while vudi heaps ranged from $10 to $15.

Sakiusa Tuduadua, a root crop vendor, sadly labelled this as the “new normal” and stated: “I’ve been selling cassava at this price for over a month now. 

“If you want to buy it for $5, then expect only three small ones.

“A bag of cassava costs about $60 to $70, so when each heap sells for $10, I can only make about $20 profit, with each heap containing five, six, or seven pieces.”

Meli Tuni, a farmer and market vendor from Naitasiri, said transportation costs and the rising cost of living have played pivotal roles in the escalation of produce prices sold to middlemen.

Alumita Tuvou Waqasaqa of Waivou, Rewa, noted that the prices set by farmers directly influenced the cost of produce they offered.

She explained: “The prices of kumala have surged because it was out of season. I now sell them for $10 a heap of six to seven.

“In 2021, I bought bags of these (kumala) for $80 each. Now, prices have risen to $120 to $130 a bag.

“It’s only fair that I sell them at $10.”

At Laqere Market in Nasinu, dalo bundles were fetching $30 to $40 each, lemons piled at $5 per heap, and cassava heaps of five to six were sold at $10, among other items.

In Lautoka, vendor Mohammad Sohaeb shared his struggles, buying cucumber for $110 a bag and revealing that he’d need to price it at $4 or $5 per heap to turn a profit.

He explained that pumpkin prices fluctuated with their size, ranging from $20 for large ones, $15 for medium, and $10 for small sizes.

Mr Sohaeb, who buys and sells produce, pinpointed climate change and farmer-set prices as the key factors behind the price hikes.

Veniana Li, who sells cassava and coconuts, acknowledged customer complaints about produce prices and clarified: “I have to explain to them why cassava is $7 to $10 a heap.

“Coconuts are priced at $5 for a big heap and $3 for smaller heaps.

“A sack of cassava that used to cost $50 now goes for $70, so we have to sell it at $7 to $10 a heap to make a profit.”

Notably, there were no changes observed at the Labasa Market.

Watchdog agencies weighed in on the matter.

The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) chief executive officer, Joel Abraham, clarified that they only regulate prices of basic food items, stating: “We do not regulate vegetables.”

Minister for Agriculture Vatimi Rayalu expressed the need for time to examine the issue before making an official comment.

Compiled by Josefa Babitu, Aralai Vosayaco and Mereleki Nai

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